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THE 

SEVEN SEALS 

OPENED. 



RUDOLPH ORAYBILL 



THE 



Seven Seals ODenee. 



BY 
RUDOLPH GRAYBILL 






OF \- 



I cjUio-a4t 



I 895. 

PRESS OP THE CHRONICLE-TRIBUNE. 

HRMOUR, SO. DRK. 



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Or 



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Entered>cfcordi]j|«/to act of Couirreps 

inXtlre year 1895. by 

S. R. GRABILL. 

in the office of the Librarian of Congress, 

at Washington. 



THE SEVEN SEALS OPENED. 



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;|0 see the nations rising into sight, 

And o'er the darkened future, scatter light. 
To cause the prophets coming things to know. 

And to the world, its history foreshow 
Belongs to God. For he alone can see 

What, in the ages, shall revealed be. 
Since He alone the Universe controls 

And governs all from center to the poles: 
Knows how each system into being came. 

And every atom, of what size or name. 
When ruling monarchs would the Christian crush, 

Good men were sought and killed without a blush. 
Then John was banished, made alone exile, 

in desert vales upon the Patmos isle. 
And there the Savior deigned with him to dwell, 



2. THE SEVEN SEALS OPENED. 

And future things in visions to reveal. 
O could our spirits soar from earth avvav, 

And rise above this low material clay 
To where unseen powers the minds of all control, 

And all creation moves by God, the Soul. 
What powers and workings would we there behold 

Twixt nature proper, and the spirit world, 
Twixt church triumphant, seated with its head, 

And the church militant, still fighting yet. 
Up to these scenes, the apostle John was brought. 

Where he did see the eternal stream of God 
Diffuse itself, and permeate all time, 

The controling, moving power of every clime. 
Here seated high upon a stately throne. 

Sat one, shone brighter than a precious stone. 
A rainbow too around the throne did shine 

in sight like emerald polished, pure and tine. 
At whose right hand a sealed book was found. 

With seven seals the book was fastened round. 
An angel strong was heard aloud proclaim. 

Who's worthy to take the book and ope the same! 
The meaning here is simply this, we trow, 

Who has the wisdom all God's plans to know. 
How he does govern, manage, and control. 



THE SEVEN SEALS OPENED. 3. 

The worlds of nature and the worlds of soul, 
And who is worthy, Whom will he permit 

The worlds to govern and the church to lead, 
in due accordance with His Soverign will. 

Eternal counsels and eternal skill; 
That every purpose of the Eternal Mind, 

What he intended and what he designed 
May be accomplished at the end of Time, 

And God reign glorious, perfect and sublime. 
But none in heaven nor in the earth below. 

Nor where the spirits of the dead do go. 
Was able found to break the seals and look 

Upon the contents of this sealed book. 
Then says the Prophet, did 1 weep and mourn 

Since none the contents of this book could learn, 
When, thus, an elder unto me did say. 

Weep not, for 1 declare to you this day, 
That one there is of Juda's tribe and blood. 

Who is declared to be King David's root. 
Who has prevailed to break the seals and see 

What in this book there might revealed be; 
And as 1 looked 1 saw amid the throne 

And the four beasts and elders, there was one 
Which, a lamb slain, did unto me appear. 



4. THE SEVEN SEALS OPENED. 



And seven eyes and seven horns did bear, 
Which are the spirits of the living God 

Sent forth from Him into the earth abroad; 
The lamb did take the book from him that sat 

Upon the throne, and when he now it had, 
The beasts and Elders down before him fell, 

With harps, and vials filled with goodly smell; 
The prayers of saints these are to represent, 

O help us kord this truth to comprehend. 
And a new song these holy ones did sing, 

And to the Lord did praise and honor bring; 
Saying, thou art worthy, O thou Holy One 

To take and ope the book and look thereon. 
For thou was slain, to us redeem to God, 

From every kindred, nation, tongue and blood, 
And priests and kings to God we have been made, 

By thy own blood which on the cross was shed, 
And we shall reign in the Millennial day 

Upon the earth, and thus thy powers display. 
And as I looked 1 heard a sounding voice, 

Of many angels round the throne rejoice, 
Around the beasts, and Elders too, they stood, 

A very great and countless multitude. 
Saying worthy the lamb, yes, thee whom we adore, 



THE SEVEN SEALS OPENED. 5. 

Of Power, F^iches, Wisdom, Strength, yea more, 
For honor, glory, blessings too, we bring 

To thee our holy, blessed Lord and King. 
And every creature both in heaven and earth. 

And under it, whatever came to birth, 
And in the sea, yes all that in them are. 

Heard I the same to all the host declare. 
And the four beasts said, Amen, loud and plain. 

The Elders, prostrate falling, did the same 
And worshiped him, who ever does abide 

In never ending happiness and light. 
I saw the lamb one of the seals to break, 

And, with a voice of thunder, one beast spake 
And said to me, come see! and low 1 saw 

*A man on horse back in his hand a bow. 
His horse was white, a crown was given too, 

And he went forth to conquer and subdue. 
The Gospel triumph this does represent, 

The glorious scheme of the New Testament. 
The color too was sign of joy and peace. 

Victory and success, and rest and ease; 
^White steeds the cars of triumph drew at Rome, 

*This is supposed to have takeii place between the years A. D. 72—122, under the reign 
of Doiuitian and Nero. 

tWhen we consider that Christianity began with only i2 apostles and 70 disciples and 
now there are many millions who profess Christianity we may form some idea of the 
victories of this conqueror. 



6. THE SEVEN SEALS OPENED. 



When from the fields of victoiy they came home 

Thus shall the Conqueror on his steed so white, 
All crowned with glory, through the nations ride, 

Till every people, kindred, nation, tongue. 
All that to heaven or to the earth belong, 

And neath the earth in that obscure retreat. 
Where all the spirits of the dead shall meet. 

Shall call him Conqueror, and shall confess 
That through Him only, men are saved by grace; 

And when the lamb the *Second seal did break, 
1 heard the second beast and thus it spake. 

Come here and see! and as 1 to him sped. 
Another horse went out, and he was 'red. 

And he who sat thereon the power possessed 
All peace and quiet from the earth to wrest. 

So that destruction every soul did hll, 
And eveiy man his fellow man would kill. 

To show his Mission a great sword he bore 
Upon his thigh, which is the sign of war. 

And O! how many in this contest fell, 
Nought but eternity alone can tell. 

And when the 'Third seal now it did undo 
The third beast said to me, O! come and view. 

*A. D. 122-172" 

tThe sign of blood shed: whirh took place under tlie i-eit;ii of Adrian. A. 1). 138. 

iA. D. 172—222. 



THE SEVEN SEALS OPENED. 7. 



And as I looked I saw a *black horse stand, 
A pair of scales were in the riders hands, 

A voice 1 heard amid the four beasts say 
Provisions carefully and truly weigh. 

A mite of wheat must for a penny sell. 
Three mites of barley to the same must swell, 

The oil and wine from thee receive no harm. 
Though children perish in their mother's arms. 

Thus famine stalked in triumph through the land, 
Death and starvation were on every hand; 

And when the 'fourth seal now the lamb did loose, 
1 heard the fourth beast say in solemn voice 

Gome now and see, and 1 beheld and saw 
A horse so ^'p3.\e it filled my soul with awe. 

The rider's name was Death, and strange to tell. 
That he was followed by the place called hell, 

And power he had one fourth the earth to scath, 
With sword, with hunger with wild beast and death; 

Destroying agents these, mankind to kill, 
And thus with mourning every heart to till; 

And as the ^fifth seal now he did undo, 
I saw beneath the altar come to view. 



*The gigii of famine. This is supposed to liavc coniineined under the reitrn of Antonio 
and continued to that of Severi. 

tA. D. 222—272. JThis is the sign of a very malignant disease. 

§.\. D. 272— 322. This represents all who died as witnesses for Jesus, especially under 
the reign of the Emperor Dio Kletiaii. 



8. THH SEVEN SEALS OPENED. 

The souls of them who for the word of God, 

And for the witness which they bore and taught, 
Were slain and put to death, their faith to try, 

And as I listened, thus, I heard them cry; 
How long, O! Lord, thou holy, just and true, 

Dos't thou not judge us and avenge us too, 
Upon our foes which in the earth abide; 

And all these Martyrs then were dressed in white: 
But they were told a short time still to wait, 

And set content until some more are made 
To follow them as fellow servants here. 

And brethren in the kord and Savior dear. 
Who still on earth are making their abode. 

But who soon shall as Martyrs shed their blood. 
And 1 beheld when he the *Sixth Seal broke. 

All nature felt and owned the solemn stroke. 
Earth did quake, the sun grew dark and black, 

And took the color of a 'Herring Sack. 
The moon turned red and seemed a cake of blood, 

And thus on high in solemn mourning stood. 
The stars did fall as drops untimely fruit 

When storms do shake the \]g tree to the root. 



*A. D. 322-372. 

+Sign of ffi-eat inourning. 



THE SEVEN SEALS OPENED. 



The sky departed as an ancient scroll, 
When it is folded up into a roll, 

And every mountain trembling to its base, 
Was, with the islands, moved out of its place. 

All these are signs of mourning and distress, 
Of fall of Kingdoms and of wretchedness, 

Of great commotions in the world at large. 
When great men fall neglectful of their charge. 

Kings of the earth, with all the rich and great 
Chiefs, Captains and the mighty men of State. 

Both bond and free, fled all of them with fright, 
And in the rocks and mountains sought to hide, 

And called upon them in most solemn tone. 
Gome fall on us and hide us from the Throne, 

And from his face, who seated there is seen, 
And from the lamb, and from his wrath us screen; 

For the great day of wrath is now at hand. 
And how shall persecutors think to stand. 

And now, says John, I saw four angels stand 
And hold in calm the winds of every land. 

No wind did blow upon the land or sea, 
Nor shake the branches of a single tree. 

Another angel from the Bast did rise. 
The seal of God he had, and thus he cries, 



10. THE SEVEN SEALS OPENED. 



Unto the angels who the winds did stay, 
And power possessed to spoil the land and sea. 

Withhold your hand, nor use your spoiling rod, 
Until we seal the servants of our God. 

And now I saw a countless multitude 
Of eveiy land, before the throne they stood. 

And cried with voices loud, and thus they said, 
As to the kord they their devotions paid. 

Salvation be unto the great I AM— 
Who on the throne is seated—and the lamb. 

The angels all around the throne did stand 
With all the Elders, an adoring band, 

Amen! they cry, and on their faces fall 
And offer praises, to the God of all. 

One of the Elders thus to me did say. 
What, and who are these here in white array.? 

O sir, said I, most surely thou dost know, 
They came through trials here below, [white 

And washed their robes in blood, and made them 
Therefore they sit before the throne so bright. 

But when the lamb did loose the Seventh seal 
All voices ceased and heaven was calm and still. 

For half an hour a deadly silence reigned 
Before the heavens their former state regained, 



THE SEVEN SEALS OPENED. 11. 



But now 1 saw those seven angels stand 
Who are with God— with trumpets in their hand— 

The Jews believed, with all the ancient wise, 
That He has seven angels in the skies 

Who do his will, and run at his behest. 
As willing servants doing his request. 

Another angel now appeared in sight. 
And stood before the altar, pure and bright, 

The angel of the covenant, our High Priest 
To offer, that our sins may be released. 

He sits on high to intercede for all, 
•To stop the judgments now about to fall 

Upon all men still dwelling here below. 
But are delayed while these petitions flow— 

Whose object was, as we may understand, 
To avenge the blood of that illustrious band 

Beneath the altar; souls of Martyrs, who 
Had shed their blood and died as witness true. 

Whose prayers ascend, before the throne on high. 
And rise as incense, for us, to the sky, 

God hears these prayers, and punishment delays, 
And thus his mercy unto man displays. 



LIBRPRY OF CONGRESS 




009 930 386 4 




